Enhancing production for Airbus' best-selling A320 family

As Airbus ramps up the production pace for its A320 Family, the company is ensuring this modern single-aisle product line's assembly facilities in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany are ready with the most capable and efficient tools possible.

Most recently, the Airbus facilities introduced new lower wing surface drilling and boring tools at Station 40 (the fuselage-wing junction workstation), with these elements specifically developed to meet high quality and cleanliness standards while also supporting the A320 programme's rapid production rates.

The new tools have two distinct functions: identifying and differentiating points to be drilled, and facilitating the automatic drilling process.

Airbus will increase overall A320 Family production to 42 aircraft per month next year, representing a new industrial record. Total firm orders for this best-selling single-aisle product line stand at 8,113 as of October 2011, including more than 1,000 for the eco-efficient A320neo (new engine option).